This study examined methadone treatment with and without contingency contracting, which provides reinforcement for negative drug and alcohol tests through the treatment process.  The study found that subjects participating in the contingency contracting were more likely to test clean during the final month of treatment than those in the control group.  The study also found that the marginal cost of enhancing the standard treatment was 8 percent and that an incremental cost of $17.17 produced a 1 percent increased in the number of participants testing clean throughout the 4-month study.  The authors conclude that for every additional dollar spent on treatment, the program realized a $4.87 health care cost offset; however, the difference was statistically insignificant because of the small sample size and extreme variance. 

Authors: Diane T. Hartz, Patricia Meek, Nancy A. Piotrowski, Donald J. Tusel, Curtis J. Henke, Kevin Delucchi, Karen Sees, Sharon M. Hal